Global gambling giant BetMGM announced that it has been awarded one of the industry’s top accreditations from the Responsible Gambling Council. The council acknowledged the efficiency of BetMGM’s responsible gaming and player protection efforts in North America and provided the operator with the RG Check certification.

In its official announcement, BetMGM noted that the accreditation attests to its commitment to protecting its players from harm.

RG Check is considered to be among the most extensive and strict responsible gambling accreditation programs in the gambling industry. The program validates the organizations that are the most committed to providing their customers with sufficient safeguards to prevent addiction. It also evaluates companies’ procedures, policies, protocols and the problem gambling training of its employees.

BetMGM underwent a rigorous evaluation process before receiving the RG Check accreditation. This process included the review of its responsible gaming policies and procedures, staff training and player protection tools. An RGC team of experts carefully probed into BetMGM’s responsible gaming program and provided recommendations for improvement.

BetMGM said that its US, Ontario and Borgata online brands were subject to the accreditation.

CEO Greenblatt Is Proud of the Accreditation

RGC’s chief executive officer, Shelley White, congratulated BetMGM on achieving the RG Check accreditation for all of its platforms in North America. She emphasized that this demonstrates BetMGM’s commitment to protecting its players from harm.

We commend BetMGM for its dedication to promoting responsible gambling practices and its efforts to ensure the well-being of their players.

Shelley White, CEO, RGC

Meanwhile, the CEO of BetMGM, Adam Greenblatt, said that he is proud to see his company receive the prestigious accreditation. He said that this attests to his team’s ongoing efforts to promote responsibility.

This accreditation is a testament to our ongoing efforts to promote responsibility throughout our business and to ensure the well-being of our customers. We will continue to work closely with the RGC and other industry partners to promote a culture of safe and enjoyable gambling.

Adam Greenblatt, CEO, BetMGM

Despite steadily growing its business, BetMGM remains bullish on shielding its customers from the dangers of irresponsible gambling. The company is proud to leverage its proprietary GameSense program to help its customers play responsibly. The industry-leading program is developed and licensed to MGM Resorts by the British Columbia Lottery Corporation.

GameSense is integrated into BetMGM’s mobile and desktop platforms and allows customers to feel safe when playing with MGM Resorts. It complements the operators’ rich suite of safer gambling tools.

The state’s Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) is the most recent agency to join the list of current agencies regulating gambling in the Old Dominion. 

By giving the green light to electronic bingo and Texas Hold’em games played for charity purposes, the department will oversee the exact percentage of the money played will reach charity organizations. 

Changes Are Finally Coming 

Provided the VDACS manages to enforce the rightful regulations, charities could end up receiving more generous funding as a result of this fresh development.

It all started four years ago when the Virginia Assembly officially enacted the sweeping gambling expansion legislation best known for making sports betting in Virginia legal while allowing local referendum regarding land casinos. 

The same legislation exempted charitable gaming under state oversight. Ever since, VDACS has been busy drafting fresh rules regarding charitable gaming organizations, with the procedure finally culminating with the decision to allow VDACS staff to start inspecting bingo halls, fraternal organizations, and other organizations that provide poker games for the benefit of charities. 

Some adjustments to the new regulations may be necessary, including how much of players’ money actually reaches the coffers of charities.

Virginia to Finally Impose a Minimum Hold for Charitable Games 

For the first time in Virginia’s history, a minimum hold will be imposed for charitable games. In other words, organizations that provide these games will need to transparently open their books and allow regulators to inspect them. 

Also, the same regulators will be responsible for monitoring the payouts and establishing whether the charities successfully meet the required minimum.

Regarding electronic bingo games or pull-tab games, the respective minimum amount would be capped at 20% of their adjusted revenue. The fresh regulations will also enable organizations to adjust the cuts taken by game providers since a very small number of these organizations own their own gaming devices and gear. 

Initially, VDACS asked for a 40% minimum on bingo games and pull-tab games. Nonetheless, the 1877-founded department that protects consumers, encourages environmental responsibility and promotes the state’s economic growth decided to cut the percentage in half. This was in response to the feedback received from the parties that had a say in the process.

By comparison, out of the $16.5 million played in charitable games in Virginia in 2020, less than 2% made it to the designated charity organizations. The rest was divided among the host organizations and the providers of the game equipment after all winnings were paid.

The rules for Texas Hold’em games are yet to come, with VDACS looking forward to seeing similar improvements for charities in that regard.

New licensure procedures and reviews of charitable gaming in the state will also be implemented in the near future. 

At the beginning of February, we spoke about Virginia lawmakers’ determination to ban skill game machines, even though their latest attempt to push through with such a bill failed to get a hearing. 

March Madness is one of the hottest events in professional sports. Needless to say, it attracts millions of bettors each year. While many enjoy wagering regardless of the outcome, others are so focused on winning that they end up abusing athletes on the web.

ESPN addressed this relevant issue, highlighting how online bullying can affect professional players. It noted that abusers would sometimes go as far as threatening the players’ well-being. An FBI agent spoke with ESPN on the matter, saying that this is an issue that seems to be growing proportionally to the expansion of sports betting in the United States.

Meanwhile, Epic Risk Management’s head of delivery, Mark Potter, told the news outlet that colleges are aware of the issue and are stressing over it.

According to ESPN, losses affect players. Damion Baugh, a Horned Frogs player, was one of the many college athletes bombarded with abusive messages from angry bettors.

Baugh’s team was recently losing to Gongaza by six points. However, Baugh was able to score three additional points for his team right before the end of the game. While the young player failed to change the fact that his team lost, he jeopardized certain bettors’ wagers, prompting an assault of abusive messages.

Baugh had not been abused on social media before. He was let down by the sports fans who only care about the bets.

Everybody playing sports growing up, we play until the whistle, play until the end of the game. People just forgot about that. Saying I shouldn’t have taken the shot is saying, ‘We don’t care about the game. We just wanted to win our money.

Damion Baugh, Horned Frogs player

Baugh slammed the people who think that abusing college athletes is okay.

Abusers Will Use Whatever They Can to Hurt the Players

ESPN attributed the issues to the rapid growth of sports betting in the US. Five years ago when the PAPSA was repealed, around 1% of players had access to legal betting. Now, this number has skyrocketed to 56%.

Right now, online abuse primarily affects male athletes but ESPN predicts that, in the future, it may become commonplace in women’s sports too.

Anthony Grant, Dayton men’s basketball coach, previously proposed introducing rules that prevent abuse in sports. He said that people who attack kids on social media sicken him.

Luckily, at least some of the people who send death threats on social media get punished for their misbehavior. In 2019, Benjamin Patz, a young bettor told a Pepperdine basketball player that his “throat will be severed open” and that his family “will be beheaded and burned alive.” Patz was eventually sentenced to 36 months of probation after pleading guilty to transmitting threats.

Patz is but one of many people who send similar threats to players. While some get used to it, others never do. Abusive messages oftentimes include racial slurs, death threats and angry remarks.

The Issue Unites Leagues, Operators and Regulators

On March 7, 125 collegiate sports officials, regulatory specialists and executives of gambling companies gathered to discuss harassment in professional sports. They determined that this is one of the issues that unite them all.

Not only does such abuse hurt the integrity of sports but it is oftentimes indicative of a gambling problem. This, on the other hand, may be related to substance abuse or mental health disorder, Keith Whyte, the executive director of the National Council on Problem Gambling, said.

Matt Schuler, the executive director of the Ohio Casino Commission, was angrier with the abusers and called them “lowlifes who are under the impression that athletes are there to make money for them.”

Such issues have forced the NCAA to try and stay away from the sports betting industry. Jim Brown, a former NCAA official noted that, curiously, the issue is much more prevalent in North America than in other markets where sports betting is legal.

Some analysts fear that the problem is only going to get worse.

The Coalition’s member lineup consisted of Bally’s, BetMGM, DraftKings, Entain, FanDuel, and MGM Resorts International, which are now joined by the latest trio as well. The organization came together in September 2022, introducing 12 responsible gaming principles, which members accept to follow.

3 New Members in the Coalition

Fanatics, Hard Rock Digital, and PointsBet all talked about the importance of responsible gambling for the respective companies, and how joining the Responsible Gambling Coalition bolsters their commitment to the cause. The Coalition also received an RGCheck accreditation from the Ontario-based Responsible Gambling Council (RGC) – an established non-profit, dedicated to problem gambling.

Anthony D’Angelo the senior manager of responsible gaming for Fanatics Betting & Gaming, expressed how proud Fanatics was to be entering the ranks of the Coalition.

We are committed to the 12 responsible gaming principles and providing our fans tools and resources to enjoy our products.

Anthony D’Angelo, senior manager of responsible gaming, Fanatics Betting & Gaming

Danny Crook, senior vice president of operations at Hard Rock Digital, and Rachel Kasper, senior vice president of legal and compliance at PointsBet US, echoed the same sentiment in the PR release. All three companies showed their commitment to promoting and implementing safer gambling principles as members of the Responsible Gambling Coalition.

The Continued Sustainability Trend

The 12 principles the Coalition defined serve as a rulebook for what companies strive to achieve. All members are committed to the need for a unified, nationwide responsible gaming toll-free helpline, for example, and the group is partnering with the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) by serving as donors and advisory board members.

PointsBet USA and PointsBet Canada recently won RGC accreditation, so this is a natural continuation of the commitments the operator is making to responsible gambling internationally. RG Check is largely seen as an international benchmark for good responsible gambling practices, and many companies aspire to pass this accreditation program.

Fanatics is also stepping up its game in improving sustainability and following good gaming practices this year. The latest partnership with the Coalition is also a continued trend for the company, as Fanatics inked a deal with IBIA – the International Betting Integrity Association – towards the end of January. IBIA is also highly regarded in the global regulated betting industry.

In other good initiatives, Hard Rock International and WWF renewed their collaboration last week. It’s called Earth Hour. Hard Rock properties “went dark” on March 25 for an hour, bringing back to life Hard Rock’s “Save the Planet” motto. The aim is to raise awareness about climate change, and this particular motto is one of Hard Rock’s four founding mottos.

House Bill 551 (HB 551), a proposal that calls for the legalization of sports wagering in Kentucky successfully passed the Senate Thursday. Although the faith of the bill was unclear and there was a possibility for it to fail, in the end, it successfully cleared the Senate chamber after a 25-12 vote.

Given that it’s a proposal related to revenue within a non-budget year, the bill had to receive a minimum of 23 votes in order to pass. Despite the failure of similar bills, proposing the legalization of sports betting ever since PASPA’s repeal in 2018, HB 551 is the bill that will deliver legal wagering on sports for Kentucky residents.

Under the proposal, sports betting would be legal at the state’s racing tracks, bringing good news for fans of the Kentucky Derby. Moreover, HB 551 would introduce mobile, as well as online sports betting services, allowing bettors to take advantage of those convenient options.

HB 551 would require horse racing tracks offering sports betting to pay a $500,000 fee and an annual $50,000 renewal fee. On the other hand, mobile betting service providers would be subject to an initial $50,000 fee as well as an annual renewal fee of $10,000. The regulation of the activity itself would be in the hands of the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission.

The Bill Requires a Signature from the Governor

Earlier this month, the proposal gained traction after passing the House in a 63-34 vote. Keeping in mind that now the bill cleared the Senate as well, its next stop is the desk of Gov. Andy Beshear.

Given that Beshear has long supported the legalization of sports betting, it is likely to sign the bill Friday. Once or when this happens this happens, lawmakers would need to set the planned date for the launch of legal sports betting in Kentucky. Keeping in mind the traction it gained recently, it is likely eligible customers in the state to be able to access sports betting at some point this summer.

“After years of urging lawmakers to legalize sports betting, we finally did it! Today’s result shows that hard work pays off.“

Gov. Andy Beshear

In a statement released via Twitter, Gov. Beshear shared his excitement. He explained that years of efforts are finally paying off with the legalization of sports betting. Moreover, Gov. Beshear said that finally, Kentucky will be able to provide a legal way for its residents to wager on sports and at the same time, use the tax revenue to fund public projects and help communities and schools.

Global casino-entertainment company Bally’s Corporation announced a new partnership with Minor League Baseball (MiLB) Friday. Under the terms of the new multi-year collaboration, Bally’s gained rights to live broadcast, as well as exclusive free-to-play gaming content rights for its digital platforms.

The new partnership marks an important achievement for the duo. This is because the deal designated Bally’s as the first-ever National Media Rightsholder and Exclusive Fantasy and Gaming Partner of the MiLB.

Ultimately, the new collaboration is expected to deliver engaging experiences for MiLB fans, regardless if in-stadium or at home. As with similar deals, Bally’s gained rights to use official marks for marketing, broadcast, in-park signage and digital exposure of MiLB. Additionally, the deal extends to Bally’s new over-the-top, proprietary platform that delivers unique fan engagement tools, Bally Live. The application can be downloaded for iOS, as well as Android devices.

Via Bally Live, fans of the MiLB that attend in-person games will have the option to engage with fans outside of the stadium via a chat and watch party features. This immersive and unique form of entertainment is expected to deliver unique experiences and boost interest in MiLB games. The broadcasting via Bally Live kicks off Friday, March 31, 2023, and will run through the entire MiLB season, covering every game.

Besides the broadcasts, MiLB fans will have the option to enter free-to-play activities via Bally Live. Such activities are expected to include predictor games and other trivia, allowing eligible players to earn rewards via Bally’s rewards points program, Bally Bucks.

The Deal Brings Excitement for MiLB, Bally’s

Kenny Gersh, MLB’s executive vice president, media and business development, explained that the League is delighted to see MiLB designate Bally’s Corporation as an Official Partner. “Since assuming operations of Minor League Baseball in 2021, we’ve focused on growing the reach and awareness of our impressive young prospects and iconic MiLB teams,” he explained. Finally, Gersh predicted that the collaboration with Bally’s will help by enhancing the experience for MiLB fans by delivering free-to-play, fantasy and real-money games.

“This exciting partnership presents a remarkable opportunity for Bally’s, MiLB, and the league’s teams to come together and collaborate on delivering an exceptional experience for MiLB’s more than 30 million fans across 120 teams and ballparks.“

Soo Kim, chairman of the board of directors at Bally’s Corporation

Soo Kim, Bally’s chairman of the board of directors, was similarly excited about the deal, acknowledging that it represents a unique opportunity for MiLB and the company. Additionally, he spoke about the fan base of baseball, which consists of more than 30 million fans. Finally, Kim said that Bally’s remains committed to leveraging innovation to deliver immersive and engaging experiences for MiLB fans.

It’s time for the third Formula 1 race of the 2023 season, and the winners of the first two – Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez – are the top two betting favorites to win the Australian GP on Sunday.

If the oddsmakers are right, it means that we’ll see Red Bull Racing-Honda RBPT record the third win of the season. Of course, the people from Ferrari are determined not to let that happen. Will they succeed in ruining their rival’s plans? Let’s find out!

When, Where, and How to Watch?

• Place: Albert Park Circuit in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
• Date: Sunday, April 2, 2023
• Time: 00:00 AM ET
• How to Watch: ESPN

2023 Australian Grand Prix Odds

Max Verstappen Coming to Australia as a  -300 Favorite

The reigning F1 champ is the only driver with minus odds, suggesting that bookies are convinced he’s going to win the 2022 Australian Grand Prix. If he does win, it’s going to be his first-ever triumph in Australia.

The fact that he’s never won the race in Melbourne actually isn’t too much of his fault. Last season, he finished second, grabbing an extra point for the fastest lap. The man who won the last year’s event is Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc. However, oddsmakers don’t think he’s going to do it again.

Charles Leclerc & Ferrari Dreaming of Victories

The last time a driver from Ferrari won an F1 race was in July 2022 when Charles Leclerc won the Austrian GP. It was his third and final win of the season. The other two happened in Bahrain and Australia.

In 2023, the Bahrain Grand Prix has already been driven. It was a disaster for Leclerc, but not because of something he did. Instead, his car malfunctioned, forcing him to abandon the race.

In the second race of the 2023 F1 season, things went slightly better for him. Leclerc finished seventh, which isn’t great for his standards, but there’s one thing that’s giving him hope – he was second in the qualifying classification.

2023 Australian Grand Prix Prediction

Obviously, Max Verstappen is the best driver in the world in 2023, so betting against him would be crazy. We do think he’s going to triumph at the 2023 Australian GP, but so do the bookies. Priced at -300, the Dutchman just isn’t too tempting an option for bettors.

Instead, his rival from Ferrari might be a better bet. Charles Leclerc probably won’t win this race, but we can see him get on the podium.

Pick: Charles Leclerc to finish in the top 3

Geolocation, fraud and risk solutions provider GeoComply announced a new senior-level appointment. On Friday, the company strengthened its C-suite by hiring Vadim Jelezniakov, an expert within the technology vertical, for the role of chief technology officer (CTO).

Overall, Jelezniakov brings more than two decades of experience. As a part of GeoComply, he will help oversee the development of new products, as well as services. Moreover, the new CTO will play a key role in driving GeoComply’s technology strategy.

The appointment marks a strategic announcement as Jelezniakov has a deep understanding of innovative technologies, as well as market trends. This makes him a key addition to the company’s executive-level team and he will undoubtedly play an important role in its continuous growth.

The recent appointment comes on the heels of another announcement from GeoComply. Earlier this week, the company revealed it joined forces with the International Center for Responsible Gaming (ICRG) to help with new research that focuses on self-exclusion programs. Per the terms of that collaboration, GeoComply agreed to fund the two-year research that seeks to determine what is the long-term effectiveness of such programs, implemented by online and land-based gambling operators.

The New CTO Delivers Significant Experience and Skills

Sharing his excitement Jelezniakov said that he is delighted to join GeoComply and deliver his extensive experience to a growing team of talented and dedicated experts. He said: “My goal is to help drive innovation and growth in new and existing market verticals by leveraging new technologies and developing products and services that meet the evolving needs of our customers.” Last but not least, Jelezniakov pointed out that the opportunity to join GeoComply is unique.

“I am so excited to join GeoComply and work with such a talented and dedicated, industry-leading team.“

Vadim Jelezniakov, chief technology officer at GeoComply

Jelezniakov has extensive experience in managing and building reliable, as well as scalable technology platforms. Throughout his professional career, he was a part of global companies such as Google, Amazon, as well as the New York Times. His professional background also includes a Director of Engineering role with Meta.

“We are thrilled to have Vadim join our team.“

Anna Sainsbury, co-founder and CEO of GeoComply

Anna Sainsbury, GeoComply’s co-founder and CEO, welcomed Jelezniakov to the company’s team. She acknowledged that he brings a unique skillset complemented by a track record within the technology industry. Finally, Sainsbury predicted that Jelezniakov will help GeoComply continue to grow.